Youth Counsellor

**YOUTH COUNSELLOR**

**Division**: Clarington Youth Centres
**Work Status**: Full-Time
**Location**: Clarington (Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle) and all offices and community as required

**Posting Date: September 12, 2024**

**Posting End Date: September 30, 2024**

**Employment Group**: CUPE 2936.13

**Salary Grid Rate**: $23.32 per hour

**Standard Weekly Hours**: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, occasional Saturday and the ability to flex hours when needed

**Additional Benefits**: Extended Health, Dental, LTD, Life, Accident, RRSP, Mileage

**Start Date**: As soon as possible

**John Howard Society of Durham Region Mission Statement**:

- To reduce the impact of crime and its causes by providing a spectrum of effective prevention and intervention programs._

**About the Role**:
The role of a Youth Counsellor in this context involves significant responsibility in fostering a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for youth aged 12-19 within the Municipality of Clarington. You'll be working closely with the Co-ordinator, full-time staff, and casual staff to deliver after-school and summer day programs that promote social and recreational development while enhancing self-confidence and life skills.

Key aspects of the role include:

- ** Youth Engagement**: Listening to the needs of local youth to develop relevant programming.
- **Programming Responsibility**: Leading a youth centre alongside the Co-ordinator and bringing innovative ideas for program development.
- **Team Collaboration**: Sharing best practices across centres and working collaboratively to achieve program goals.
- **Supportive Environment**: Creating a safe and encouraging space for youth to thrive.
- **Professional Growth**: Taking advantage of training and development opportunities to grow in your work.

Your energy, creativity, and enthusiasm, combined with strong listening and communication skills, are vital for success in this role.

The 3 CYC locations are within the Municipality of Clarington:
The Loft - Courtice

The Firehouse - Bowmanville

NYC - Newcastle

You can expect your work hours to be scheduled around the operational hours of the Centre which is currently Tuesday to Saturday.

Our services and support are based on our 5 Pillars of Programming: Social/Leisure, Sports/Recreation, Life skills, Creative/Arts, and Volunteer/Civic Engagement.

**Youth Work Responsibilities**:

- **Support and Communication**: You will use effective communication skills to guide youth by offering options, reframing situations, and listening to their concerns.
- **Personal Growth and Reflection**: Regular reflection on your work with youth to continually improve your skills.
- **Role Modeling**: You’re expected to serve as an authentic role model, engage with all youth, and ensure a safe and supportive environment for everyone.
- **Encouragement and Guidance**: Encourage emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and self-reflection while considering the developmental needs of each youth.
- **Activities and Challenges**: Introduce new activities that allow youth to showcase their talents or step outside of their comfort zones.
- **Community Connections**: Help connect youth to peers or community resources as needed.
- **Boundaries and Confidentiality**: Maintain appropriate boundaries, respect confidentiality, and report incidents when necessary.

**Community and Administrative Responsibilities**:

- **Program Implementation**: Plan, schedule, and implement programming based on feedback from youth and staff.
- **Community Liaison**: Build and maintain relationships with local schools and community partners.
- **Policy and Procedure Adherence**: Ensure compliance with program policies for safety and reporting purposes.
- **Promotion and Fundraising**: Promote programs via social media and local initiatives, and support fundraising efforts.
- **Professional Communication**: Maintain timely and professional correspondence with colleagues and attend meetings to support CYC development.
- **Environment Maintenance**: Ensure a clean, safe, and organized work environment.

**Qualifications**:
**Education**: A post-secondary diploma/degree in social services, child and youth work, or a related field. Recreation experience is an asset.

**Skills and Experience**:
- Experience with youth support, de-escalation, and crisis intervention.
- Knowledge of current trends and needs of youth programming.
- Ability to use social media for promoting youth programs.
- Experience as a positive role model or mentor for youth.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Flexibility, creativity, and a passion for working with youth.
- Strong understanding of community challenges faced by youth.
- **Additional Requirements**:

- Class G driver's license with appropriate liability insurance (an asset).
- Valid First Aid/CPR Certification.
- Crisis Intervention and ASIST Certifications are assets.
- Satisfactory Police/Vulnerable Sector Check.

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